Cappers

[MK RAM]

I've been shopping for a capper as I wanna use glass bottles and only the PET when I need to. Anybody have a favorite hand capper they wanna tell me about. Sure wish I had a homebrew store near me SOMEWHERE

Thanks folks.

[teutonic terror]

This is the one I bought a few months ago after using a wing capper. With the wing capper, it didn't work with some types of bottles, and I kept busting the tops off of bottles.

I's a fantastic purchase! Wish I had gotten it first and saved the hassle!

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Agata-Bench ... B000Q638P2

[Bluejaye]

I have no complaints about the Super Agata, I'd buy one again if mine ever breaks.

[russki]

This is the one I bought a few months ago after using a wing capper. With the wing capper, it didn't work with some types of bottles, and I kept busting the tops off of bottles.

I's a fantastic purchase! Wish I had gotten it first and saved the hassle!

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Agata-Bench ... B000Q638P2

+1000. Buy a bench capper from the get go.

[RickBeer]

I don't think you'll find anyone not liking the Super Agata. The "regular" Agata doesn't adjust to bottle height without your intervention as I understand it. $37.99 is the normal price I've seen on it. And while Amazon "sells" it, they often don't- it's homebrew stores that do and charge shipping. Most charge over $10.00 shipping on their sites, somewhat less on Amazon. The one listed is $46.32.

Due to the wonders of how companies list on Amazon, looking it up a different way lets you get one for $41.99 ($35.01 plus shipping)... http://amzn.to/18Ox9BZ

Amazon, while great, doesn't really police how things get listed. Many times prices are "lower" with higher shipping, so there is no deal. Many times you find the same item listed multiple different ways, as in this case, resulting in a significant savings (9.3%).

I'd also recommend two other items:

1) A "economy" bottle tree. Under $20. While this doesn't allow you to mount the vinator on top, it's 1/2 the cost of most bottling trees. http://amzn.to/1885KbP - $18.43.
2) A vinator, which you fill with sanitizer to do your bottles. http://amzn.to/13WdoVA - $17.31.

If you buy these three items from Amazon, and pick the same vendor (such as HomeBrew Ohio), you'll find that the shipping gets combined and it's very cost effective as compared to a homebrew website. In this example, $35.01 + 18.43 + 17.31 = $70.75 plus around $10 shipping which puts you around $5 or more less than a homebrew website.

[Brewbirds]

Also be sure and check out the Kegging and Bottling Thread on this site.

[Gymrat]

I have the super agape bench capper. I have used it for roughly 35 batches now, which comes to approx 1,750 bottles. I have had to tighten the screw on the lever a few times. But other than that no issues. I don't have mine mounted on anything. I just get it out, set it on the counter, and go to work.

[gwcr]

Super Agata all the way! Never had an issue.

[MK RAM]

Thanks folks. Once again you've helped tremedously!

[jimjohson]

i got a super agape bench capper in feb.. without pulling out my brewbook and confirming, i guesstimate i've done 20 batches with it. so far i've had no issues with it. (knock wood)

[DaYooper]

Along the Super lines, does anyone know if you can purchase replacement parts? The only problem I had was the bell assembly must have loosened up and on a press jumped a thread so for awhile it was capping on an angle. No problems with the seal but left a dent in the cap. I fixed it the other day by forcing it to cut a new thread, but would be nice to know if it could be replaced should it fail. Other than that the only "problems" Ive had was having a screw pop out when I wasnt paying attention to seeing if it was coming loose.

Beats my hand cappers!!! Got one with my first kit, bought a second should the first fail in the middle of bottling so I wouldnt waste beer (Im a bit paranoid - we take alcohol abuse seriously), and got a third when I bought second hand a kegging kit. So I guess I have both my belt and suspenders on two-fold.

[gwcr]

You can get replacement bells from most of the online brew shops (Midwest, NB, Austin, etc.)

[haerbob3]

If you brew Belgiums and bottle them the tradition way and/or make wine. I highly recommend this one http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/colo ... orker.html I have been using this one for about 5 years now and never had any issues with it. The trick when bottling the traditional Belgium bottles, with the 1.5 inch cork & wire cage, is to use a piece of 0.75" thick wood under the bottle so the stroke bottoms out when the cork is inserted halfway into the bottle.

[Wings_Fan_In_KC]

Oh hey, I was going to begin to move away from using the 1 litre PETS and into bottling in glass with caps. I love Boulevard beers so I've been washing and saving their bottles but then I noticed the necks aren't like Sam Adams bottles which a lot of people say are great for re-using.

Are these hard to recap due to the neck and did I save 2 cases of worthless bottles?

Let me know, here's a pic of the neck of a Boulevard bottle:

[russki]

Oh hey, I was going to begin to move away from using the 1 litre PETS and into bottling in glass with caps. I love Boulevard beers so I've been washing and saving their bottles but then I noticed the necks aren't like Sam Adams bottles which a lot of people say are great for re-using.

Are these hard to recap due to the neck and did I save 2 cases of worthless bottles?

Let me know, here's a pic of the neck of a Boulevard bottle:

Might be a problem with a hand capper - definitely not an issue with a bench capper. I have not found a bottle I couldn't cap with my Agata.